


A Guardian Among Us

by SuperHeroTiger



Category: Among Us (Video Game), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Among Us AU, Crewmate Peter Parker, Gen, Imposter Tony Stark, Irondad, Non-Graphic Violence, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, spiderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26724718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperHeroTiger/pseuds/SuperHeroTiger
Summary: When Tony boarded the hull of the Skeld and watched the stars begin to drift by through the viewport, he only had one task on his mind: Kill all crewmates.It was a simple mission. He’d done it a dozen times before, and this would be no different. Take them down one by one, manipulate them into turning against each other, and if things got bad, let his partner take the fall for all their crimes. It was an ironclad plan; destined to succeed.But what his plan didn’t account for was the small, young astronaut that came barreling up to his side, eyes practically beaming behind his helmet that seemed far too large for his stature as he introduced himself.“I’m Peter, by the way.”Tony stared down at the kid’s gloved hand for a moment and thought about ignoring him. It would make it easier, wouldn’t it? He shouldn’t even be talking to the kid, not when he was going to… to…Suddenly Tony gripped Peter’s hand and shook it, saying shortly “Tony.”...Irondad/Among Us oneshot, starring Imposter Tony and Crewmate Peter!
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 44
Kudos: 491
Collections: Among Us, Marvel





	A Guardian Among Us

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This might be the strangest AU I’ve written yet, but please enjoy this Irondad/Among Us crossover with a healthy dose of angst and protective Tony! It was pretty fun to make, and if you enjoyed reading it let me know in the comments, it means a lot to me! Hope you have a great day!
> 
> -Superherotiger

When Tony boarded the hull of the Skeld and watched the stars begin to drift by through the viewport, he only had one task on his mind:

_Kill all crewmates._

It was a simple mission. One he shared with the green suited figure on the other side of the waiting bay, Beck, who sat casually amongst their fellow, unsuspecting crew mates. The thick, dark visors over their faces hid most of his features from view, but for a moment Tony thought he could see those light blue eyes flash red as he met his gaze. Then the lights flickered, and his eyes were back to blue, chuckling at something one of the others had said like he wasn’t going to kill them all by the end of the journey.

Tony wasn’t quite as keen to mingle with his future victims however, staring out at the expanse of space and planning his next moves meticulously. He’d done it a dozen times before, and this would be no different. Take them down one by one, manipulate them into turning against each other, and if things got bad, let Beck take the fall for all their crimes. It was an ironclad plan; destined to succeed.

But what his plan didn’t account for was the small, young astronaut that came barreling up to his side, eyes practically beaming behind his helmet that seemed far too large for his stature. His suit was a rich, deep blue, but black strings wrapped around his arms and waist to keep the oversized material tied around his scrawny frame, almost resembling a spider web.

“Isn’t it amazing?” he asked Tony suddenly, staring out the window.

“Uh… yeah,” Tony nodded, trying to ignore how young this kid sounded. How young he _looked_.

“The stars, they’re even more... more _beautiful_ from up here.”

“Sure are…” Tony muttered quietly.

“I always hoped I’d get to see them but _this_ ,” the boy pressed his hands against the glass and leant forward with awe. “This is some something else…”

Turning slightly, Tony watched as the boy -surely no older than fifteen- stared out at the galaxy with an innocence he hadn’t seen in many years. Something heavy settled in Tony’s stomach at the sight, like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean. It took him a moment to realise that cold feeling in his bones was _guilt_.

“This is my first time travelling to a different planet,” the boy continued obliviously. “I was supposed to be with my Aunt, but there wasn’t enough space on the other frigate. She said that the Skeld was one of the safest ships out there though!”

_Oh shit_ , Tony thought, grimacing behind his helmet.

“Sorry- Sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself,” the boy chuckled, fully turning to face the man and holding out his hand bashfully. “I’m Peter, by the way.”

Tony stared down at the kid’s gloved hand for a moment and thought about ignoring him. It would make it easier, wouldn’t it? He shouldn’t even be talking to the kid, not when he was going to… to…

Suddenly Tony gripped Peter’s hand and shook it, saying shortly “Tony.”

The teen grinned up at him, the whites of his teeth beaming through the visor. “Nice to meet you Tony!”

They could have left it at that. Tony _should have_ left it at that. Instead, he released Peter’s hand with a gentle smile of his own and asked casually “So what’s with the cross-wiring on your arms, kid?”

“Oh, um… it’s- the suit’s a little big still so I had to, um, improvise,” Peter chuckled, and Tony would bet money he was blushing fiercely under that helmet. “I’m an electrician’s apprentice back home so I had some spare wires and… yeah, here we are.”

Tony couldn’t help but smile at the slightly flustered shuffle Peter made, before forcing himself to stare out the window again when looking at the teenager made his nerves twinge. Like he could feel the danger he posed just by standing near him.

“Well, nice meeting ya kid,” Tony said gruffly in an attempt to cut off the conversation.

“Yeah! Nice meeting you too,” Peter grinned. “I’ll see you around later?”

_God I hope not._

“Yeah kid, maybe…”

* * *

**…**

* * *

Tony purposefully avoided the young cadet as everyone was given their tasks and dispersed around the ship. Some small, sick part of him hoped that Beck would cross off Peter first -and please, let it be quick- so that Tony wouldn’t have to. Selfish? Maybe. But Tony wasn’t sure he could watch the life drain out of those wide, youthful eyes as a result of his own hand.

Unfortunately for him though, when the first body was reported and everyone rushed into the cafeteria for a meeting, Tony caught sight of the blue suited teenager standing directly across the table, looking even smaller next to the captain -Steve, Tony thought his name was- and his second in command Bucky. When one of the crewmates stepped forward and explained how they’d found their friend dismembered in the comms room, the air seemed to cool and Peter’s whole body went rigid with shock. Tony couldn’t understand why his own muscles tensed at the sight of his fear.

But thankfully, the meeting went by without a hitch. Beck had been smart with his first murder, and though the crew was now aware of an imposter on board, they had no evidence they could act on yet. The dark glare Beck sent over his shoulder as they went their separate ways was a clear hint to his teammate to hurry up and join in though, and Tony made his first move on the poor unsuspecting soul doing wiring in the electrical room. Thick crimson blood painted the walls and wires they had previously been working on, and a white suit became stained red as the body laid lifelessly on the floor.

Tony didn’t know their name. He didn’t care too either, so he moved towards the vent without ever glancing back, disappearing behind the cover to wipe the blood off his hands in the shadows.

But then- footsteps from across the room. Light and quick and bouncing every second step.

Tony froze when he heard the voice that echoed from the doorway.

“Hi Coulson, I got those spare wires you were-”

The voice halted abruptly the moment the footsteps rounded the corner, and through the grates of the vent cover, Tony watched as Peter collapsed onto his knees beside the body with a strangled gasp of terror.

“Oh my god, oh my god,” he muttered as he pressed his hands against the figure’s blood-soaked suit, searching for a heartbeat. “Oh god- Coulson? Coulson wake up! _Please_!”

Something strange stirred in Tony’s inhuman chest as he watched the teen begin to break down into tears before him, Peter’s breath stuttering as he pulled his hands away to find them stained as red as the ground beneath him. He stared in horror at the blood, and after glancing one last time at the dead figure on the floor, Peter scrambled to pull out his comm link and practically shouted into the receiver “ _Help!_ Someone help! Coulson- Coulson’s dead!”

A myriad of replies chimed back ranging from alarmed to concerned to terrified, and Tony watched, unable to move, as Peter cried out his location to the crewmates with blood smeared down his gloves and far-too-big sleeves. Tony should have been moving away by now, trying to establish an alibi, but he couldn’t seem to tear himself away from the scene before him. Couldn’t seem to stop the sudden energy pulsing beneath his veins that urged him to _move forward, help him, help him-!_

Steve burst into the electrical room flanked by several others, and Tony felt that foreign energy slip away just in time for him to disappear further into the vents.

Another emergency meeting was called following Peter’s discovery of the body, and when Tony arrived -suit clear of any blood or evidence-, he noticed that one of the other crewmates hadn’t arrived either. Judging by the slight glimmer in Beck’s eyes, Tony knew he had made an undetected kill as well.

But what truly drew Tony’s attention was the boy sitting shakily on the bench, eyes staring blankly into the void while a female astronaut in an orange suit wrapped a blanket over his shoulders. The blood had dried over his hands and knees from where he had been kneeling beside the body, staining his once pure jumpsuit with the memories of something horrid and foul. Tony couldn’t help but feel responsible for the deadeye stare the boy held. In fact, he found himself missing that awe-struck gaze from before, and wondered if he would ever get it back.

The meeting was civil at first. Most of them were just trying to support Peter as he stammered out the story of finding the body in electrical, but when a scout came back and reported the second body in storage, tension rushed into the room like water flooding from a dam. Everyone began listing off their tasks, where they were, who they were with, and gazes filled with suspicion began drifting across the table while Tony watched in mild satisfaction at the confusion that ensued.

But then Beck opened his mouth, and his subtle smirk fell immediately.

“Listen, I hate to say it, but the only person we know for sure was in both locations of the bodies was the kid,” the man said with false remorse, sending a crackle of electricity through the air as everyone turned to face the traumatised teen.

“W-What? No… No! I- I didn’t, I swear-!” Peter stammered out. “C-Coulson told me to get spare wires and I- and I-“

“And you just so happened to miss the _dead body_ lying right beside them?” Beck pressed on, which made Tony’s jaw clench unknowingly.

“No! No I swear, there- there wasn’t a body when I went in there!” Peter said, his voice shaking as fiercely as his hands as he looked around pleadingly at his crewmates. Some met his gaze sadly, while others turned away, conflicted or convinced by Beck’s sly tongue.

“It is… concerning, that no one else was in storage or electrical at that time, Peter,” Steve said cautiously. Like he was trying to calm a wild animal.

Peter swung his mortified gaze to the captain and quickly realised that everyone was looking at him with some level of worry or condemnation, and in a last desperate attempt, Peter’s eyes met Tony’s own. Begging. Begging for him to save him, because he trusted him. Peter trusted Tony, but he shouldn’t, because Tony killed that man and Beck was going to make _Peter take the blame-_

“Actually, I saw the kid.”

All eyes now snapped to Tony at his sudden admission, feigning casualness even as Peter and Beck stared holes into his visor.

“Yeah, I… I saw him as I was on my way to admin,” Tony continued on. “He was collecting a bunch of wires and had no blood on him at all.”

Peter visibly sagged in relief, but Beck’s body had gone as stiff as a board, his voice icy cold as he said “Doesn’t mean he’s not the killer. He could’ve done it after you left.”

“Maybe, but Coulson would’ve heard from electrical if Peter tried to kill someone in storage. They’re right next to each other,” Tony defended again, unsure why he felt so certain about his position despite knowing who the true murderers were.

Beck was glaring daggers into his skull now, the question clear in his cold-hearted gaze.

_What the hell are you doing?! You’re wasting a free kill!_

But Tony didn’t want to kill the kid. Something inside him, something he didn’t understand, just- _wouldn’t_ let him do it.

And it was that something that had him moving to Peter’s side, a gentle hand resting on his shoulder as he said confidently to the group “I’m almost one hundred percent certain that Peter is innocent. No offense, but he doesn’t exactly give off a _‘murderous’_ energy, now does he?”

At that, the others seemed to finally loosen their suspicions, nodding along and finally remembering that there was a _kid_ right in front of them who had just witnessed a gruesome murder. Empathy was back in their faces within moments, and the meeting with resolved with no further action. Hesitantly, everyone went back to their tasks, throwing pitiful glances at the shaken boy on the bench as they passed. All except for Beck of course, whose narrowed eyes were transfixed on Tony with such hatred that he was surprised he didn’t just lash out and snap his neck right then and there.

As everyone disappeared into the hallways again, the orange suited lady who introduced herself as Natasha hung around for another few moments to check that Peter was alright, attempting to wipe away the blood on his clothes only to find that it had already dried. “It’s gonna be alright kid,” she said, squeezing his arm lightly.

“M-May said this ship was the safest out there…” Peter murmured, though it seemed mostly to himself.

“Usually, but… sometimes unexpected things happen,” she said simply and rose back to her full height.

Peter just nodded numbly and stared down at his scuffed boots, swinging them back and forth to distract himself from the blood on his knees. Slowly, Tony grew aware of a new gaze fixed on him and turned to find Natasha staring back at him with sharp, calculating eyes. Like she was dissecting him with her vision alone.

But then she pulled away with a friendly goodbye to the young cadet, her eyes soft as Peter thanked her before turning back to Tony with a blank stare. “Take care of each other,” she remarked in what was supposed to be a casual tone, but Tony saw right through it. He had seen this strategy before. Pair people off and see who dies, which meant if Tony or Peter died, she would know whoever was left alive was the imposter.

The joke was on her though, because _neither_ of them were going to die on Tony’s watch.

Natasha left without any more preamble and left Tony and Peter sitting in the eerie silent cafeteria.

“Thank you…” Peter murmured after a moment, turning to gaze up at Tony’s visor with tired eyes. “Thanks for… y’know, defending me back there…”

Tony lifted his shoulders in a half-hearted shrug, saying “It’s fine kid. I knew you were innocent.”

“No one else did,” Peter muttered as he stared down at his boots again, ashamed.

“Well, they’re idiots,” Tony said simply, smiling when it drew a small chuckle out of the boy.

Peter lifted his head again and peered up at Tony with a watery smile, seemingly understanding how close he had been to an unfortunate demise of his own. He looked exhausted, and after the day’s events, Tony couldn’t blame him -though he certainly blamed himself. If this were a normal ship then Tony would tell him to go sleep it off in the medbay, but this wasn’t a normal ship, and this wasn’t a _safe_ ship either.

Tony had made an enemy of Beck, and so Peter would become a target not only for blame, but for murder as well. It was Beck’s mission to kill them all, and once, it had been Tony’s mission too.

“Mr Tony?” Peter asked hesitantly.

“Yeah kid?”

“Can I… can I stay with you…?”

But Tony’s mission had changed.

“Of course kid.”

* * *

**…**

* * *

Peter stuck to Tony’s side like glue for the next few hours, working in tandem on their assigned tasks even though Tony was supposed to be _sabotaging_ the ship instead of fixing it. He didn’t care. Not when Peter finally started easing up again and a spark of that familiar light shone through weak smiles and electric eyes. And when Peter leant his head on Tony’s shoulder as they waited for the download to come through, the man felt something light and _warm_ flutter against his ribcage, conflicting with the heavy guilt that had settled in his gut like a boulder.

Deep down, Tony knew he had made the right decision.

But suddenly, the artificial lights cut out and the two were enveloped in darkness. It only took Tony a few blinks to fully adjust to the new lighting, but as a normal human being, Peter was left in complete shadows, his hand flying out wildly in search of the man he could no longer see.

“Tony? Tony-!”

“Right here kid,” he hummed, gripping onto the teen’s hand and drawing him to his side protectively. Light sabotages were a dangerous time for crewmates, and after Beck’s death glare from the cafeteria, it was probably a dangerous time for him too. Better safe than sorry…

“We should go fix the lights,” Peter said eventually, his helmet bumping into Tony’s shoulder.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea kid,” the man muttered.

“Somebody has to fix it, and I know my way around the wires.” Peter elbowed Tony gently in the ribs and added fondly “Besides, we’ll protect each other right?”

Reluctantly, Tony glanced down at the teenager beside him and stared into his shimmering eyes, eyes that couldn’t meet his own in this level of darkness. There were hints of fear in his gaze, but mostly it was overruled by a sudden determination. A drive to be helpful and _good_ , which felt the opposite to Tony in almost every way, and yet somehow incredibly endearing.

“Alright Pete,” Tony murmured against his better judgement. “We’ll go, but you’ve got to stick with me alright?”

“Of course!”

And with that they were on their way to electrical again, Tony guiding Peter through the halls while trying not to make it obvious that he could see everything in their path. As they approached the doorway to electrical Tony felt Peter tense under his touch -probably remembering what had happened last time he came here- and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance, which the teen returned with a grateful hum. It was strange for Tony, comforting someone instead of terrorising them. It felt almost… _wrong_ for his biology- his nature.

But then Peter smiled at him through the darkness, and Tony thought it might just be worth it.

The moment they reached the fuse box Peter got to work, just managing to see the wires through the shadows and rearranging them as needed. Tony stood guard behind him with his eyes transfixed on the entrance way for anyone who dared pose a threat to them both, muscles keyed up in anticipation for a fight.

Silence consumed the room for the longest time as Peter worked. Sometimes the teen muttered to himself in frustration, but then it fell back into that empty quiet again.

Then, out of the blue, Tony heard a strange noise from the hall. Like something metal scraping against the floor, which sent adrenaline flooding through Tony’s veins within seconds. “One sec,” he muttered back to the boy who was too enraptured in his work to notice Tony step away.

He just wanted to take a quick look out the corridor. Just a quick look.

Tony had barely stepped over the doorframe when he heard a startled shriek from behind, spinning around like lightning to be met with the most horrifying sight of all. Beck -eyes blazing, teeth gleaming- with Peter trapped tightly against his chest, a knife pressing against the boy’s heart. The helmets were metal so imposters like Beck -like _Tony_ \- always went for the torso where the suit was basically fabric and insulation. Nothing that could protect them, and everything that made for an easy kill.

Peter whimpered under the man’s fierce grip and a growl crawled up Tony’s throat in response.

“Should’ve voted with me and none of this would’ve happened,” Beck said, grinning like a maniac through the shadows. “Now I’m gonna kill this kid like you should’ve hours ago, and you’re gonna get your shit together and join me or I’ll send you out the damn airlock!”

A strained gasp escaped the teen as Tony’s secret was let out into the open, his brown eyes widening behind the visor but the rest of his body only able to struggle in Beck’s inhuman grip. Fear and guilt and shame swelled in Tony’s chest all at once, wondering what Peter must be thinking. How he must hate him now that he knew the truth.

But then a fire seared through the dread and replaced it with fury, levelling Beck with a glare as hot as the sun as he spat “Shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not? Scared he won’t like you anymore now he knows you’re a _murderer_?” the man sneered.

“No,” Tony growled, shifting into a fighting stance. “Because now I get to kill you _my_ way.”

Beck’s eyes sprung open in alarm the moment he registered his enemy’s words, but by then it was too late, and Tony had already pounced forward with his own set of unhuman skills and biology to wrestle him to the ground. The first priority was saving Peter, so Tony made sure to rip the boy out of Beck’s arms first and shove him away from the monster’s grasp, catching a swing from the knife as a result but not caring one bit as he turned back to Beck to finish his revenge. Fists and knifes and teeth and things that no human could describe were unleashed on each other, but Peter was safe and that was all Tony cared about. In the back of his mind, he was thankful that the lights were still out, because the battle happening before him was nothing short of a bloodbath.

Finally, when the metaphorical dust settled and Beck was nothing more than a carcass in the corner of electrical, Tony stumbled to where Peter sat huddled beneath the fuse box and whispered hoarsely “Kid… Peter. Are you- are you okay?”

Peter’s head snapped up with terrified eyes, the same eyes that Tony hoped he would never have to see again, and the man stopped his approach abruptly.

“I’m sorry kid, I just… I couldn’t let him hurt you,” Tony said weakly, though he knew it was no excuse for what the boy had witnessed.

Peter didn’t respond at first. He was shaking too hard to do anything other than breath, and even then it was strained and uneven.

After a few more moments of silence though, the teen mustered his voice and whispered “You’re… you’re one of them, aren’t you?”

Tony’s head dipped to his chest. No point lying now, he figured. “Yeah… yeah I am.”

“Are you… are you going to kill me?”

Snapping his gaze up within seconds, Tony met Peter’s petrified gaze and felt something invisible tugging in his chest again, the sensation more painful than anything he had ever felt before.

“No kid, I’m not,” he said, his own voice quivering with agony. “I don’t want to kill anyone… especially not you.”

Peter didn’t blink, barely even breathed. He seemed to be assessing him the same way Natasha had been earlier, but unlike her, Peter could only rely on Tony’s voice for an answer. Slowly, his hand lowered from where his knees were tucked up to his chest and settled over the comm link on his belt.

Tony’s expression softened and the aching in his chest intensified. “I get it… you can report me now,” he murmured. “I… I’m sorry kid.”

The hand froze over the radio, and Tony allowed himself to hope, just for a moment. But then Peter unclipped the comm and raised it to his mouth, eyes never leaving where Tony sat heavily in the shadows as he began speaking into the receiver.

“This is Peter, I’m reporting in because I’ve found the imposter.”

Even though he couldn’t see it, Tony tried to smile at the boy one last time before they threw him out the airlock. One last bit of encouragement to last him the rest of the journey.

“Who was it, Peter? Are you safe?” Natasha’s voice echoed across the line.

_Here it comes._

“It was Beck. H-He tried to kill me while I was fixing the lights,” Peter said, voice shaking a little near the end.

And then, youthful brown eyes met traitorous red ones, and Tony felt something shift in the air like the electricity running through the walls.

“And yeah, I’m safe… I’m with Tony.”

Tony blinked in surprise, his spine going as stiff as a board as his brain tried to process those words. Words that didn’t make sense because if they were true, that meant that Peter was protecting _him_ and that just couldn’t be reality.

“That’s good, that’s good,” Steve’s voice chimed into the tension of the room. “Is Beck restrained?”

“He’s dead,” Peter answered bluntly. “Tony… Tony killed him to save me.”

Something finally clicked in the man’s mind with those words, a clarity that had been withheld through his confusion, and Tony felt his eyes begin to sting and dampen under the cover of darkness.

“Alright son, where are you now and we’ll be there right away,” Steve said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

“We’re, uh, we’re in electrical.”

“Good, stay there and we’ll see you in a moment,” Natasha assured before Peter lowered his comm back to the floor.

For a good few moments, Tony and Peter just stared at each other, drawing in shaky breaths like neither of them could believe what just happened.

“You… you didn’t tell them,” Tony finally mumbled.

Tiredly, Peter unfurled his legs from his chest and said, “You saved my life.”

“I took lives too,” Tony felt the need to remind him, but the sharpness in Peter’s eyes told him he already knew that.

“And so long as you don’t do it again, I’ll keep your secret,” the teen offered.

Tony couldn’t believe it. This kid -this sweet innocent kid- had witnessed murder and betrayal and carnage on a level that no teenager ever should, and yet he still trusted Tony. He still _saved_ Tony after everything he’d done.

That warm feeling that had appeared in bursts and flickers now bloomed fully in Tony’s chest, and he felt his first genuine smile in years lift at the corners of his lips. “Thank you Peter,” he said, imbuing all the gratefulness into his voice in the hopes the teen know how much this meant to him.

Peter smiled back, and Tony thought it must have worked.

“We’re a team now, okay?” the teen said, leaning forward to where he must have assumed the man was sitting and reaching out his hands, a little bit hesitantly.

“Right, a team,” Tony repeated softly.

But then Peter’s hand grazed his shoulder, and while the teen seemed to finally get a sense of his bearings in the darkness, Tony felt his eye twitch in alarm, terrified of chasing him away. But Peter couldn’t see the struggle in his expression, or the fears running through his head. All he saw was Tony. His protector and his _friend_.

Peter didn’t hesitate this time, wrapping his arms around Tony’s shoulders and holding him in a firm embrace.

“So we’ll protect each other,” Peter murmured into his shoulder, easing the panic in Tony’s chest. “You and me…”

Awkwardly, Tony lifted his own hands and placed them around Peter’s shoulder’s, mimicking his hold and practically melting into the gesture. “Yeah…” Tony breathed in utter relief, and for the first time in his life, true _happiness_.

“You and me…”


End file.
